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Re: Kindergarten kids with cell phone?

How else are they supposed to contact their drug dealers?

Tracfones are basically disposable so if that's the case I suppose I could see it but only for calling certain numbers. My 1st grader still wouldn't have a need for a cell phone, at that age he's never off by himself without an adult anyways. In a few years though, maybe.

Re: Kindergarten kids with cell phone?

Just because the technology wasn't around/wasn't as affordable when we were growing up, doesn't mean today's kids should be deprived of it. I didn't get a cell phone until I was 16 (2004), and I only got one because my brother (17 at the time) was in a single-car accident the day before and didn't have a phone to contact anyone on a pretty isolated stretch of highway. I was left at school waiting for my ride home for a couple hours, wondering where he was the entire time. We got the most basic of phones, something Nokia and the only game on it was Snake.

Kindergarten is too young IMO for reasons pointed out above -- at that age, they should always be with a trusted adult(s) who have the parent's phone number. Around the 10-12 range, when kids seem to start being left alone at home or allowed to bike across town to a friend's house or pool, get them a basic phone so they can call mom, dad, grandma, and emergency services.

Re: Kindergarten kids with cell phone?

I don't have any problem with a kid having a basic cell phone to make phone calls to parents, etc. But, when kids that young have smartphones, they have access to a lot of things they shouldn't have. (Snap chat to name a big one)
There was a huge sexting scandal at New Trier High School (North Shore Chicago area) back in 2012 that led to quite a few guys getting into trouble with the law and one girl who is now very popular, since the north side of Chicagoland has seen her completely nude. It's just a matter of time before I hear about a sexting scandal at some elementary school.

Re: Kindergarten kids with cell phone?

I think my son was 12 or 13 when he got his. About the time some of the extracurricular activities started. Before that, as others have said, he was not ever in a place where there wasn't an adult present.

Re: Kindergarten kids with cell phone?

One of my co-workers had a son who's friend had a phone in kindergarten. It was for emergency calling of his parents. I think they worked opposite shifts and may have had to deal with a rotating schedule.

For the most part, I don't think elementary kids need even a basic phone. Yet, there may be circumstances that make it a possibility.

Re: Kindergarten kids with cell phone?

Originally Posted by cyclonedave25

I don't have any problem with a kid having a basic cell phone to make phone calls to parents, etc. But, when kids that young have smartphones, they have access to a lot of things they shouldn't have. (Snap chat to name a big one)
There was a huge sexting scandal at New Trier High School (North Shore Chicago area) back in 2012 that led to quite a few guys getting into trouble with the law and one girl who is now very popular, since the north side of Chicagoland has seen her completely nude. It's just a matter of time before I hear about a sexting scandal at some elementary school.

Every day I have less and less desire to raise children in the world with how it's changed. I graduated high school 10 years ago, and since then it's crazy how over sexualized kids have become at a younger and younger age. I'm sure I would have loved rainbow parties, snapchat, and girls trying to out whore each other as their measurement of worth as a teen, but as a parent, I can't even imagine having a daughter in this environment.

Re: Kindergarten kids with cell phone?

Originally Posted by Farnsworth

Every day I have less and less desire to raise children in the world with how it's changed. I graduated high school 10 years ago, and since then it's crazy how over sexualized kids have become at a younger and younger age. I'm sure I would have loved rainbow parties, snapchat, and girls trying to out whore each other as their measurement of worth as a teen, but as a parent, I can't even imagine having a daughter in this environment.

Re: Kindergarten kids with cell phone?

You're scaring me! My 4 year old better not ask for one. :) Sure, she knows how to run mine and all, but no real need at this point.

I do often think what age it makes sense. Of course I am practical, but I know that doesn't always mesh with "keeping up with the Jones'" I've always thought I could get a cheap phone with the reload cards and say "the first 500 minutes should cover all the calls you'd need to make to me, etc, beyond that you can buy your own cards to reload."

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